


Letters to Leryssa

by Shaded Mazoku (Ashkaztra)



Category: World of Warcraft
Genre: M/M, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-11-22
Updated: 2013-04-01
Packaged: 2017-11-19 06:33:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 4,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/570259
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ashkaztra/pseuds/Shaded%20Mazoku
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the fall of the Lich King, Thassarian starts writing letters to his sister again.</p><p>As it turns out, he has a lot to write about.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by the Death Knight manga, in which Thassarian writes Leryssa from his journey to Northrend.
> 
> The idea stuck with me while re-reading and wouldn't go away. This follows from the fall of the Lich King and up until the end of the Andorhal questlines, and will split from canon there. Some extra events have been slipped in-between to fill out the timeline.

Dearest Leryssa,

It has been a while now since we parted on the docks of Valiance Keep, and I have not been able to keep in contact. For that, I am truly sorry.

I have been stationed on the Skybreaker, the Alliance airship circling the depths of Icecrown, and there has been little time for letter-writing. Even if I had the time to write, the chances to send letters have been few and far between. All of our energy has been focused on only one thing; the fall of the Lich King.

And fallen he has. The Lich King has been defeated and the world is free of his grasp. I, and the others like me, no longer have his shadow following our every footstep. Could I still feel such things, I believe the relief would be overwhelming. As it is, I still feel warm for the first time in years, despite the fact that I am still in Icecrown, watching the festivities as I write this. The Knights of the Ebon Blade, the order to which I belong now, have set up camp away from the others. Even with our help against the Scourge, there are still many who see us as monsters. I remain unconvinced that they’re not in the right. On a night like this, where celebrations have broken the barriers between the factions and there are people drinking and singing all over, our presence is even more unwanted. Alcohol no longer affects me, as I have found to my regret.

Still, it is inspiring to see my fellow Knights of the Ebon Blade here, every race united in one single goal.

I wonder what will become of us now, when we no longer have that focus.

Though I promised I would return to you once the Lich King was defeated, I fear that will not be possible. I, and my fellow Alliance death knights, have been ordered to report to King Varian Wrynn for new assignments, helping to clean out the remaining strongholds of the Scourge. Although I would have liked to see you once more, I believe this is an important task. Only when the Scourge is truly driven back will it be safe to begin reclaiming our old lands and rebuilding.

There is much I need to tell you, Leryssa, but I don’t know where to start. A letter is probably not the best place for these things, anyway. Someday soon, I will be able to return to you, and we will talk.

Talking always came easier to you, didn’t it? There is someone here I had hoped to talk to before we’re deployed, but I find myself unable to formulate what I want to tell him. Words were your strength, yours and William’s. I still find myself lost for words, even now.

I will write you again when I know where I’ll be sent. I may get a chance to visit while in Stormwind, but I can’t guarantee it. From what I have seen, King Wrynn is not a patient man.

Be safe, Leryssa. I worry for you.

Your brother,

Thassarian


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Slightly off the canon track here, because there is a time gap between the end of WotLK and the beginning of Cata, and Thassarian had to be doing something. And Zul'drak has a lot of cultists and not so much in-game resolution, as well as canon Ebon Blade presence, so...
> 
> Off to play with the Scourge remnants, the trolls and the scourged trolls!

Dearest Leryssa,

I hope this letter finds you well. I regret that I did not have the opportunity to come see you while I was in Stormwind. As I mentioned, the king is not a patient man, and the order had barely made it to Stormwind before we were ordered to return, to help clear up remaining Scourge outposts here in Northrend. 

Do you remember when we were children and snow was considered a treat? I no longer feel the cold, but I still find myself looking out over the icy plains of Northrend and wishing I never see snow again. I have seen enough of it to last a lifetime.

On King Wrynn’s command, I find myself in Zul’drak, trying to stem the influence of the Scourge on the Drakkari trolls. It is not an easy task. The Scourge itself is without direction now that the Lich King is gone, but the mortal leaders of the Cult of the Damned are not yet gone. Here, in Zul’drak, the Cult’s presence is more obvious than most places. Two necropolises still hang in the air here, a third one crashed to the ground. Beneath them, blight spreads out like creeping moss. Once, this place was home to one of the Scourge’s most dreadful creations, an undead titan so large you could see him from miles away. He has since been defeated, along with his equally dangerous master, but there is still much work to be done.

The Drakkari trolls are not friendly even without the Scourge influencing them, which does not make our work here any easier. We fight a battle at two fronts, and in this harsh land, allies are far and few between. There is some Argent Crusade presence, but even with us fighting side by side with them against the Lich King and his armies, the mistrust remains. I cannot truly blame them. There is not one of my kind who has not done horrendous things.

Still, there is a sense of brotherhood among the Knights of the Ebon Blade. As is often the way, the Horde has had much the same ideas as the Alliance, and there are Horde death knights among our numbers. None I personally remember from before, but we somehow manage to get along despite the faction differences. Or, as the case may be, at least we do not fight each other while there are other things to focus on.

Currently, our target is to fight back the blight around the necropolises, but in time, we hope to take control of one or more of them. It would not be our first time taking a stronghold from the grasp of the Scourge. In fact, it has begun to become a habit. 

Between the Scourge and the trolls, we have little free time, but I hope I will be able to write to you on a regular basis. Unfortunately, we have no way of receiving mail here, although it is probably for the best. I do not trust the geists with letters. They are careless things, jumping around all over the place like an overly excitable puppy, if puppies were Scourge creations.

Actually, there are probably scourged puppies somewhere. It sounds like something the Lich King’s plaguemongers would create. There certainly seems to be scourged everything else out there.

Until I can write again, I will continue to hope you are well, and that things are more peaceful for you than they are here.

Be safe, Leryssa.

Your brother,  
Thassarian.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another in-between games letter. From the official timeline, there seems to be about a year between the events of each game, so Thassarian had to do something in the meantime. I promise he'll have something more exciting to write about soon, though, and the Shattering isn't too far away.
> 
> I hope. Or I might have to resort to Lurid writing his own letters and nobody wants to see that. :P

Dearest Leryssa,

I apologise for letting it go so long between letters. Things here have been more than a little hectic, and I have not had much time to sit down to actually write. Even now, I am technically on duty. We do not require rest like the living do, and so the Knights of the Ebon Blade are called on to fight longer and harder than most living troops can muster. I am not certain I am even capable of relaxation any more, though I must admit that I would like to be able to spend some time not wading through Scourge, trolls and hostile fauna.

I think even Lurid wants a break at this point.

Still, what we do here is important. I do not know if we will ever make these lands safe, and truthfully, it is not our place to take the land from the Drakkari trolls. These lands have been theirs for a very long time. It is the Scourge remnants that is our concern. We only fight the Drakkari in self-defence. Unfortunately, they do not seem to like outsiders much.

I can understand that. Zul’Drak is a beautiful place in its own right, and we are the intruders here. The Argent Crusade and the Zandalari are invasion enough, but the Drakkari are fighting the Scourge, and I do not think they know the difference between Scourge and the Ebon Blade, nor do I think they care.

Though it goes slow, we are making headway. The sheer masses of Scourge here are staggering, but as I mentioned, we do not tire easily. With the Lich King’s fall, the Scourge has lost its direction. We have not. Eventually, we will take them out.

Unfortunately, I suspect it will take some time yet. As soon as I am free to do so, I will come to see you.

In the meantime, I will continue the fight here, and I hope you will continue to remain safe.

Your brother,  
Thassarian


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> At least there is something happening in this letter. About time. 
> 
> Thassarian isn't very good with emotions even without the whole death knight thing. At least not consciously. Subconsciously ... Well, that's why he has Lurid, clearly. The sack of bones have grown on me somehow.

Dearest Leryssa,

Once again, I have fallen behind on my letters. You have my apologies. Unfortunately, I have not had much time to even think of something to write, much less sit down to actually do so. 

Joined by the Argent Crusade, we have been pushing forward into increasingly more hostile territories. The last few weeks seem as though they have been one long battle, though I know that in theory, they have been a series of smaller ones in rapid succession. It is a good thing I no longer require sleep, because I would be running on nothing but sleep deprivation insanity at this point. 

I have spent the last few weeks knee-deep in trolls. Or rather, knee-deep to trolls, I suppose, as the Drakkari are immense of stature. Even the average troll often reaches nine feet. The larger ones are taller. Do not even get me started on the dire trolls. Especially not the Scourged ones. I thought I was ready to handle anything, having spent time in the company of Scourge abominations. The Scourged dire trolls are worse. They have all the worst traits of the abominations, and none of the easily controllable nature. I would not wish to make you ill to the stomach, and so I shall refrain from sharing details, but know that I have never missed that pond near our farm more than I have the last few months. I cannot remember the last time I felt clean.

~~That's a lie. It was back before this. Before I joined the army. Before mu…~~

It has been a while. Even Dusk is acting as though she would appreciate a bath at this point, but the waters here are as treacherous as the rest of the land, whether the ponds or the troll waterways. 

It is interesting, actually. Though we have always been told that the trolls are barbaric savages, they have created structures here that are thoroughly impressive. One of the other stationed death knights here is a troll. I remember him vaguely from before, I think. When he was first raised, he spoke only the trolls' own language, but quickly picked up common, as most of the death knights were human or another species who spoke it. I think their general attitude has less to do with being primitive and more to do with them just not caring about the same priorities.

Unfortunately, the way they prioritise makes them fierce opponents in life and undeath alike. I fear my work here is far from done yet.

Lurid has taken to picking up trinkets that catches his eyes, though I cannot seem to see a pattern in what will get his attention. I believe he has been sneaking into Crystalsong forest when we have had a small break. He brought back a few leaves from one of the crystalline trees. I do not truly understand the magic that animates him, but his quirks seem harmless enough. At least he is entertaining in his own way. 

The crystal leaves are beautiful enough for even me to notice, like frozen spiders' webs. I thought you might like to see one, so I have wrapped one around this letter. They are sturdier than they appear, but I hope they are sturdy enough to make the journey safely. 

Stay safe for me,

Your brother, 

Thassarian

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Much as I love trolls, they're pretty scary. It is possible that the first trolls Thassarian ever saw were Drakkari, considering that the Scourge was likely messing with them pre-WotLK. Now that is scary. And yeah, that's my troll DK making an appearance. I won't let my characters bog this down, but for background cameos, they're useful. 
> 
> Also, Crystalsong Forest is just pretty.


	5. Chapter 5

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the plot slowly drips its way towards that Andorhal incident. Ouch.
> 
> No, I don't know where Thassarian was when he wrote this letter, either. Maybe death knights have amazing in-saddle letter writing skills? We'll never know.

Dearest Leryssa,

I hope this letter reaches you before the news do, but if it does not, I hope I have not caused you undue worry. 

As you may have heard, all forces have been withdrawn from Zul’Drak. Our leaders do not think there is more we can do about the remnants of the Scourge, and we are clearly not welcome there. We have been ordered to fall back to Valgarde in the Howling Fjord and wait for the boat to take us back to Menethil harbour in the Eastern Kingdom. From there, we will be heading back to the Plaguelands to help the effort to purge the Scourge from what was once Lordaeron.

I do not think I have to tell you that I have mixed feelings about returning to our homeland as I am now. Since my death and subsequent reanimation, I have been back to Lordaeron twice, and neither time was a good one. This will be the first time since I was freed from the Lich King’s control that I will be back as myself, and not a tool of the Scourge. I am not looking forwards to the memories I will no doubt be facing. 

However, I do believe I deserve them. 

There is no denying I have done things too horrible to mention. If I still slept, I do not think I would go a night without nightmares. If you knew even half of it, Leryssa, you would never talk to me again. Maybe that would be for the best, in the end. But no good comes from dwelling on what I was made to do. Maybe one day, I will be able to tell you. It is a conversation we should have in person. Until that day, I will focus on the fight, and on the things I can still change for the better. 

If I can help retake our homeland, that, at least, will make a difference. 

Even if I can’t, it will be good to see familiar lands once more, and to know that I am at least a little closer to you, should you ever need me. They say death knights can only feel hate and anger, but though the urge to destroy is strong, I find that the emotion I most often feel is concern. I worry about you, Leryssa, even though I know Stormwind is probably the safest place to be right now. I miss you, but I am glad you are not here with me. Knowing you are safe helps keep me grounded. 

If only I had that knowledge for everyone I find myself missing, I might have felt a little bit more at ease. 

With luck, we will be able to sort out the Scourge stragglers in the Plaguelands with more ease than what we faced in Northrend, so that I might get the chance to see you again soon. There is much we must discuss, and I do not feel right speaking of such things in a letter, without even knowing if you receive it, and with no chance for you to reply. The moment I get the chance, I will come to see you, and we will talk.

Until then, I will continue to worry about you, I fear. It would seem that there are things even death will not change.

Your brother,  
Thassarian

(Lurid sends his greetings, by the way. I think you made an impression on him. I almost suspect he worries, too.)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time to move the plot along. Giant world-breaking dragon is incoming! Well, soon-ish, at least. Hopefully next chapter, even, because I'm evil and want to see Thassarian have a bit of a meltdown over the fact that Deathwing broke the city his precious little sister is living in. I need to keep him from falling into angstiness somehow. 
> 
> I have a sequel planned for this despite it not being anywhere near finished yet. I keep getting "must fix!" urges whenever I go anywhere near the Plaguelands. So many plotbunnies, so little time! (Also, I just want Leryssa and Koltira to meet and gang up on Thassarian. *snickers* )
> 
> I considered a companion fic with Leryssa's (unsent) letters to Thassarian, but let's face it, they'd all just be "Dear Thass, you're being an idiot. Love, Leryssa."


	6. Chapter 6

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Thassarian is worried, but fails at admitting it.

Leryssa,

Please be well. I heard about the dragon attacking Stormwind, but we cannot leave our posting here, so none of us are able to confirm what actually happened. The rumours run rampant, though, and I find myself unable to shake the need to make sure you are alive and well.

I haven't the time to go into details now, but I am in the Plaguelands, and we are about to march on Andorhal, getting ready to take the city back from the Scourge. I expect to be here for a long while, as there is much to be done.

Please, Leryssa, if you can; send a message to tell me you are alive. If you cannot find someone to deliver it to Andorhal or Chillwind Point, then to Hearthglen. High Lord Fordring of the Argent Crusade and his men have retaken control of the town, and I might be able to visit occasionally to check if a letter has arrived.

~~Please don't be dead, Leryssa. You can't be. Not you too.~~

I will write you again soon.

Your brother,  
Thassarian

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A short chapter this time, but the next chapter will come along soon, as I've actually finished this fic now, and just need to do some adjustments and rewriting. I'll be posting the remaining chapters over the next few days.


	7. Chapter 7

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andorhal happens.

Dear Leryssa,

I apologize for not getting back to you sooner. Unfortunately, things here have become far more complicated and hectic than we expected, and it is only now I've had a moment to sit down and write you.

I mentioned in my last letter that we were marching on Andorhal to take it back from the Scourge. Apparently, the Forsaken had the same idea, so our forces are now fighting a war on two fronts. Not only do we have to clear out the Scourge, we also have to contend with the Forsaken and a few of their Horde allies. It is not a good situation to be in.

The city has been almost destroyed over the years of Scourge rule, and there are preciously few good places to make a stand left, and when we have to fight the Forsaken for every one of them, we have a problem.

The Forsaken are almost as single-minded in their purpose as the Scourge when they need to be, following the orders of their Dark Lady, and they've proven themselves willing to use any tactic available to reach their goals.

There isn't much they can do to me, admittedly, but I have to think about the men under my command, most of whom are still among the living. If the Forsaken bring in their plague, I will have a massacre on my hands. I can't allow that to happen. These men and women trust me to lead them. I'm sure you understand what that means to me.

Lurid grows restless, too. I don't think he likes this situation any better than I do.

There's something else, too. The Forsaken are lead by a death knight like me, one who has broken free of the Scourge. His name is Koltira, and had our circumstances been different, I would have called him my friend. I called him brother once. Now I face him as my enemy. 

I don't think both of us will walk away to tell the tale this time. 

I don't want to kill him. ~~Not again.~~ I may have to, though. 

I suppose it will just be one more drop in a sea of regrets. I have my orders, and so does he. If at all possible, I must find a way to talk to him. Maybe I can convince him otherwise. A fool's errand, I know, because he is infuriatingly stubborn when he has put his mind to something, but for the sake of what we've shared, I have to try. I owe him that much.

Wish me luck, Leryssa. I will need it.

Your brother,  
Thassarian.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And Koltira shows up! Well, kind of, at least. Poor Thassarian is not having a good campaign here.
> 
> (When we first heard that Thassarian and Koltira would both be laying siege to Andorhal for their respective sides, I had this mental image of them sneaking off to spend time together and trying to be very stealthy about it. Meanwhile, Alliance soldiers would be bumping into Forsaken and go "...Our commanders are making out again, aren't they?". This is why I don't write for Blizzard. XD)


	8. Chapter 8

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A truce is made, and Thassarian makes plans.

Dear Leryssa,

This will be a short letter. I haven’t had much time to write, and I still don’t, but things are finally slowing down enough for me to write even a short letter.

I managed to find the opportunity to talk to Koltira, though I did not like what I saw. He was always bitter at what he has become, as are most of us, but he seems like there is nothing left for him but the bitterness and the cold. Anger is wrought into our bones by the power that raised us, but I suppose I have harnessed it to help me fight. He seems like he has let his take him over.

It is worrisome. 

Nevertheless, we have come to a tentative agreement. We will focus our efforts on the Scourge first and foremost. They are the true enemies here, after all. If we are not fighting each other, we will have a much better chance of defeating the Scourge once and for all. If we can free Andorhal, only Scholomance remains of the Scourge bastions in the Western Plaguelands. 

Once, the Scourge is defeated, all bets are off, at least by our current agreement. Hopefully, though, dealing with the Scourge will give me enough time to come up with a better solution.

I will write again as soon as I have the time.

Your brother,  
Thassarian

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another shorter one, but I wanted to draw out the Andorhal situation a little, and see what Thassarian was thinking about. In his own way, he really is worried. 
> 
> Also, I apparently just semi-quoted Stargate Atlantis with the whole "all bets are off" thing. I have to stop watching Common Ground on repeat.


	9. Chapter 9

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Andorhal is lost. As is Thassarian.

Leryssa,

I failed. Failed my mission and my men, the King and the hope of saving Andorhal. 

I failed Koltira. 

Andorhal is lost to us. There was nothing I could do. Sylvanas Windrunner herself came to the battlefield, and she brought reinforcements. She has Val'kyr, Leryssa. I hope you're lucky enough not to know what that means.

The Val'kyr were the handmaidens of the Lich King, raising the dead to join the Scourge. I never expected to see them here. The Forsaken were as much victims of the Lich King's madness as we were. I did not expect to see their queen follow in his footsteps. 

But it would seem that is the path she has chosen.

With the Val'kyr, every soldier that fell only bolstered the Forsaken's ranks. It soon became apparent that we could no longer win. 

I ordered my soldiers to retreat, to return to Stormwind to report the loss. At least some of them survived. Myself and Lurid stayed as long as we could, to make sure the survivors got away. I only barely made it out. Lurid did not. 

When I have the chance, I will be going back there. I owe it to Lurid to at least try to retrieve his bones so I can revive him.

Somehow, Sylvanas Windrunner found out about the truce Koltira and I agreed on. I don't know how, but she did and Koltira paid the price. He is imprisoned because he still believed in something beyond Horde and Alliance, something that the Forsaken consider a weakness. Everything that happens to him now is because we once called each other brothers. He should not bear that burden alone. 

One day, I will see the Dark Lady pay for what she has done.

I would have gone after her, I think, the need to get revenge integrated deep in my bones by the Scourge magic that animates me, but I have been called to another post already, and I cannot refuse.

So I will go to Kalimdor and see what the druids want from me. For now.

As always, I will write more when I can.

Stay safe for me, Leryssa. Be the one person I haven't failed. 

Your brother,  
Thassarian.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Because letting Thassarian stay hopeful obviously couldn't happen. 
> 
> I refuse to believe that Lurid is perma-dead. He died once in the comic and it didn't seem to bother him.


	10. Chapter 10

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Thassarian is beginning to think too much.

Dear Leryssa,

I wish you could see the things I'm seeing. 

My new post is on Mount Hyjal, defending our realm from the invasion from the Firelands. It seems as though they have called every able-bodied adventurer, soldier, spellcaster and such they could find to come fight the invaders, and I find myself fighting alongside dragons and giant spirits. 

Everything we do here is in the shadow of the World Tree, which is visible no matter where you go, towering above us all as a permanent reminder of what it is we're fighting for. 

This is not where I want to be right now, but it's where I'm needed, and the battles seem to never end. It's warm, too, warm enough that even I can feel the heat. For the living fighters, it must be very difficult. Everything we fight here seems to be on fire, and I have never before been grateful for the ice that seems to run in my veins, but here, it actually affords me an advantage. 

Despite all the devastation, though, this is still a beautiful place, and I think you would have loved to see it. Maybe one day, when we have fought this invasion back into the Firelands, it will be possible to safely visit. 

Even if I'm not there to take you.

Your brother,  
Thassarian

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mount Hyjal really is pretty. Shame about the fire.


	11. Chapter 11

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which plans are taking form.

Dear Leryssa,

The invasion isn't over, but it's tapering down. With a little luck, I will soon be able to leave my post here and get back to what I have to do elsewhere. I know I won't miss the heat. The soot in the air gets everywhere.

I am glad that things are improving. 

Since things have finally slowed down, I have had the time to take care of a few things. All Alliance soldiers are paid for their work, but I have little need to spend money on anything these days, so I have been setting my pay aside in a vault in Stormwind. Attached to this letter, you'll find a form giving you full access to this vault and its contents. As I have no real use for coins, I felt it would be better to share them with you. It isn't as there is much left of our estate, so this is all I have.

Speaking of our estate, I have also hired a solicitor to find a copy of the deed to our farm, and it should also be in the vault. One day, the Plaguelands will once again be free, and you should be able to prove that we own the property as long as you have the deed. 

It is amazing what services can be hired by letter these days.

~~I needed to know that you're taken care of.~~

I still have battles to fight, but I hope I can write again soon.

Your brother,  
Thassarian

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leryssa isn't going to be too pleased with Thassarian when she starts figuring things out, I think.


	12. Chapter 12

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And so it ends. Or begins. It's hard to tell.

Leryssa,

I've gone to do something stupid. I probably won't return. I'm sorry I broke my promise.

Just stay safe, Leryssa. Stay safe and enjoy your life, and please don't grieve for me again. With the arrangements I have made, you should have something to fall back on now. It's not the same, I know, but it's all I can offer.

I am not the same brother you remember. It might be better this way.

I love you.

\- Thassarian

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, yes. This is the last chapter. However, it's not the end of the story. There will be a sequel to this that will go into details about what exactly Thassarian did and what the consequences were. I can't promise a time-frame, though. I'm doing Stargate Atlantis fanfic for Camp NaNoWriMo all of April, so the sequel won't be worked on at all this month. It will be written, though, because I'm not about to leave off at a point like this. 
> 
> There are too many loose ends that needs dealing with. I'm evil to the characters I love, but I'm not that evil.


End file.
